Jon Tester for U.S. Senate

Jon Tester’s latest positive ad is now airing on television stations across Montana:

Labor Secretary Should be Speaking to Montana Workers, not Donors, Union Leader Says

Sen. Conrad Burns called on another Washington D.C. insider to help save his job Monday, but this time, Sen. Burns is trying to keep his latest “celebrity friend” out of the spotlight.

Labor Secretary Elaine Chao joined Burns today while Burns made his way through Butte and Helena. All of their appearances together, however, were closed to the media.

Perhaps that’s because Sen. Burns and Secretary Chao can’t afford to answer questions about their records against hard-working Americans in Butte–folks who have questions about issues like the minimum wage. Burns can’t afford to explain to the media his 13% lifetime rating from the AFL-CIO. He voted against the minimum wage and funding for workforce training ten times.

“Sen. Burns and Secretary Chao are not friends of Montana workers,” said Jim McGarvey, head of the AFL-CIO in Montana. “There’s a lot to be said for the fact that they’re in the Butte area, talking to donors instead of working folks.”

Perhaps Sen. Conrad Burns kept Secretary Chao under the radar today because he can’t afford to answer questions about Hugo Reyes, his missing repairman who may be an illegal alien.

Despite repeated requests, Burns has not shown legal documentation for Reyes. Burns even expressed his concerns over Reyes’ legality when he spoke with supporters this summer:

“The other day, this little fella who does our maintenance work around the house–he’s from Guatemala–I says, ‘Can I see your green card,’ and Hugo says, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Oh gosh.’” [Green Card, 6/17/06 ]

During a debate in June, Sen. Burns made light of his roofing contractor hiring illegal workers. “I told my roofer,you better go down and get your help or you won’t get my house roofed,’” Burns said. [Montana Broadcaster’s Association, 6/25/06]

And neither Burns nor Chao can afford to discuss ethics. Burns’ troubling ties to Jack Abramoff are surpassed only by the favors that Chao has done for contributors of President Bush and Sen. Mitch McConnell, her husband. According to a Kentucky paper’s recent profile of McConnell, Chao has turned the Department of Labor into a playground for Bush and McConnell donors. McConnell has given $10,000 to Burns and McConnell is widely expected to gain the support of the Republican Caucus for their Senate leader.

So what did Sen. Burns and Secretary Chao discuss today? Perhaps they discussed the $20 million that Burns approved to fund a party celebrating victory in Iraq and Afghanistan. That extraordinarily premature party was a Sen. McConnell’s brainchild.

“Sen. Burns keeps saying his campaign is all about ‘light bulbs and sunshine,’” said Aaron Murphy, a spokesman for U.S. Senate candidate Jon Tester. “If that’s the case, why all the mystery surrounding this latest celebrity visit to Montana?”

From poaching to public access, Sen. Conrad Burns and his pay-to-play pals are out-of-touch with Montana’s outdoor values, the campaign of U.S. Senate candidate Jon Tester said Sunday.

This month Burns has had to defend a provision he slipped into the Interior Appropriations Bill benefiting one person, rancher Mac White–a longtime Burns donor. Sen. Burns’ legislation allows White to deny public access to 10,000 acres of the Lewis and Clark National Forest near the Crazy Mountains.

Sen. Burns’ special favor for White is under fire among outdoorsmen all over Montana. John Gibson, the president of the Public Lands Access Association in Billings, even called the move “good-old-boy sleaze politics all the way.” [Billings Gazette, 7/29/06]

While White figures out how to keep hunters and anglers off their own public lands, another friend of Burns’ has been barred from hunting and fishing on it.

A judge banned Shawn Vasell, Sen. Burns’ former state director, from hunting and fishing in Montana after he pleaded guilty to poaching in Stillwater County in 2004. Vasell, who worked in Billings for Burns between stints as a lobbyist for convicted felon Jack Abramoff, shot a deer without a license on private land without permission.

But Vasell has bigger things to worry about these days. He refused to answer questions when asked about his role in helping Abramoff take $66 million from his tribal clients. And just this month another former Abramoff employee resigned from her job at the White House amid an investigation of her contacts with Abramoff’s staff. While working for Burns and Abramoff, Vasell logged more than 200 contacts with White House staff. [Bloomberg, 9/29/06]

“Sen. Burns just doesn’t understand Montana’s outdoor values. He has worked consistently against the interest of Montana’s hunters, fishermen and campers,” said Stan Frasier, past president of the Montana Wildlife Federation. “The right to hunt and fish on our public lands is part of our heritage. Sen. Burns has been in Washington too long to know what our priorities are here at home. He is the worst thing for access to public lands since the Sagebrush Rebellion.”

In fact, Sen. Burns told Congressional Quarterly he supports “the concept of selling off federal lands.” He sponsored legislation that would have created a commission to review all public lands, including national parks, for potential sale or transfer.

As a third-generation Montanan, Tester will make protecting public lands–and allowing access to them–a priority.

“We need leaders who know how to bring people together, not divide us from our neighbors,” Tester said. “In fact, Sen. Burns has pushed efforts to lock all Montanans off our public lands by selling them into the hands of out-of-staters to lock up. That is out of touch with Montana values.”

First reports from the road on the Countdown to Change Tour are that turnout is amazing.

Nearly 175 people showed up for the kick-off rally with Jon Tester and Governor Brian Schweitzer at 9 am this morning at Fort Belknap Agency.

A brief stop in Glasgow found approximately 75 Montanans turning out to hear about Jon Tester’s commitment to making Washington, D.C. look a little bit more like Montana. (See photo to the left.)

The day’s third rally at Poplar drew more than 150 people; 75 in Glendive; and 35 in Terry this evening.

The Countdown to Change Tour continues across the state through next Monday, November 6th — with events tomorrow in Miles City, Forsyth, Crow Agency and Lame Deer.

Click here for a complete list of tour dates — and sign up to rally with Jon in or near your hometown!

The Great Falls Tribune, one of Montana’s largest newspapers, today endorsed Jon Tester for the U.S. Senate.

The newspaper’s editorial board writes:

“With state Sen. Tester you get an earnest and articulate man . . . his time in the Legislature and in an almost year-long campaign, has demonstrated good sense, a grasp of issues, and priorities that reflect those of mainstream Montana.”

The paper also rebuked a key theme of Sen. Burns’ reelection effort:

“If you know Jon Tester, it’s laughable to imagine him as a ‘tool of East Coast liberals’ . . . Does he agree with them on some issues? Sure. So do we. But we disagree on many others — and so does he.”

Big Sandy Farmer Jon Tester is running for the Senate to return honesty and integrity to the seat once held by U.S. Sen. Mike Mansfield.

“I’m pleased with this endorsement,” Tester said. “I’m glad the Great Falls Tribune agrees it’s time for change in Washington. Montanans know that Conrad Burns has been in Washington too long. It’s time the U.S. Senate look a little more like Montana.”

Click here to read the full Tribune endorsement.